Rangers News

Rangers Sign Free Agent Center Bobby Holik

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has signed unrestricted free agent center Bobby Holik. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to add a player of Bobby Holik’s caliber to our roster,” said Sather. “He is one of the league’s premiere two-way centermen, combining superlative size and passion for the game with an intense desire to win and excellent leadership qualities.”

Holik, 31, appeared in 81 matches with the New Jersey Devils last season, registering 25 goals and 29 assists for 54 points, along with 97 penalty minutes. He ranked among team leaders in several offensive categories, including: goals (tied for 2nd, 25), points (3rd, 54), assists (4th, 29), shots (1st, 270) and game-winning goals (tied for 1st, six). Holik skated in his 800th career NHL contest on October 13 at Montreal and his 700th game as a Devil on February 10 vs. Buffalo. He recorded the 5,000th goal in the club’s history on November 7 vs. Atlanta. In six post-season contests, Holik led the Devils with four playoff goals and was tied for second with five points.

A veteran of 12 NHL seasons with the Hartford Whalers and New Jersey Devils, Holik has skated in 878 career NHL games, registering 240 goals and 311 assists for 551 points, along with 954 penalty minutes. After being acquired from Hartford on August 28, 1992, he totaled 198 goals and 265 assists for 463 points, along with 797 penalty minutes in 724 contests with New Jersey. A two-time NHL All-Star, Holik ranks among the Devils all-time leader in several categories, including: games played (6th, 724), goals (2nd, 198), assists (7th, 265), points (3rd, 463) and penalty minutes (7th, 797). He has tallied 20-or-more goals in five of the last six seasons in New Jersey.

The 6-4, 230-pounder has appeared in 128 career playoff contests with the Whalers and the Devils, registering 16 goals and 36 assists for 52 points, along with 116 penalty minutes. As a member of the Devils, he is among the club’s all-time leaders in several post-season statistical categories, including: games played (3rd, 121), goals (tied for 4th, 20), assists (4th, 36), points (4th, 463) and penalty minutes (7th, 105). In addition, Holik was a key member of New Jersey’s 1995 and 2000 Stanley Cup championship teams.

Prior to being acquired by the Devils, Holik collected 42 goals and 46 assists for 88 points, along with 157 penalty minutes in 154 contests with the Hartford Whalers. In 1990-91, he led all Whalers’ rookies and finished fourth overall on the team in scoring with 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points. He registered one assist and 13 penalty minutes in 13 career playoff games with the Whalers.

Holik was a member of the Czechoslovakian national junior team that competed in the 1988 and 1989 World Junior Championships and was selected to the Second All-Star team at the 1989 tournament. In addition, he was also a member of the Czech Republic team at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

The Jihlava, Czech Republic native was originally Hartford’s first round choice, 10th overall, in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. Holik was traded to the New Jersey Devils, along with a second round choice in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft (Jay Pandolfo), from Hartford in exchange for Sean Burke and Eric Weinrich on August 28, 1992.